Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-01
TEMPEST In A TEAPOT
LITTER FROM JEFF. DAVIS REGARD.
ING rRK BArrLg.FLAGs.
What He Says About the Return Of the
Captured Trophies" Their Value
Departed When They We're
Surrendered"
rp, ,elegraph 10 the plspa,ch.I

BALTIMORE, June 80. The sun has the
following letter from Jefferson Davis in
reference 10 the return OF the southern
hattie laes: =" II the object now be 10 unite
The people Of the North and South rs
brethren in union, as a means 10 that end
every sien OF the pAst conflict should, rs
far a. practicable, be obiterated. To re-
tain as a point 81 pride flag captured in
battle by either Union or Confederate sol
diers would be equivalent 10 renewed eN-
ultaiion Of triumph by one or the other,
and surely MT step toward the
restoration OF peace. Flags captured
from foreign enemy may be retained as
trophies after peace, but here the cessation
of hosiiitles Is net pretended to he equiVa-
lcnt TO differentiation. | have heard OF va
,3oiis instances in which southern soldiers,
having retained flags captured In battle. did
alter the war send them back 10 the organi-
zstion from which they were captured, and |
have hcsld Of no instance when such trophy
has been displayed at n reGnion Of southern
soldiers to manifest their success In battle
over their northern brethren. Our men
fought for principle, and that they have
NOT surrendered, but rather hOpelessly
lived TO sec the good sense OF northern men
revert 10 the teachings OF their sires and
recStablish the Government according 10
the Constitution on which 1t was founded.
That Is che only victory which would
De 10 them and their children
thing to be priced and glorited.
when The Confederate Government
evacuated Richmond many hags captured
in battle were deposited in the War Office
In Richmond. so far as | know. they were
all left there and found by the United
states troops when they entered the city.
L.. ~ -
fact that the South did not wish TO treasure
ND such evidence of any triumphs 1t ever
had over the North.
"When Washington received the sur
render OF Cornwallis at Yorktown he re-
ouired the British eolors to be delivered
10 him in cases. The United States Gov
eminent presented those flags TO General
Washington, and he left them TO George
washington Parke Custis, by whom they
were iniTusied 10 me when | was Secrc-
tary OF War and left In the War Office ut
Washington. Though these were foreign
flags and signs OF very memorable 0cca-
sion the then Unite States Government did
not deem them Of such importance TO be
exhibited as trophies Oi victory over for
mer enemy, but prcSeted them TO the SOL
der 10 whom they hcd been surrendered.
The south has manifested no desire to have
posses son Of flags lost In battle; their
value departed when they were surren-
dered, and the excitement which has been
created over the proposition to return both
TO the North and South the flags they had
lost in battle seems very like q tempest in
teapot. Whether they should lie and be
consumed by moth in the boxes of the
United States War Office or be returned to
their former owners has one element OF
value, which is that the restoration would
be a declaration such a the old Romans
made-that there should be no triumph for
victory Won in civil wal. SO far as it
Should express the feeling of restored fra.
ternity, IL would be an advance towards
that condition which all reasonable men
will recognize as desirable among those
who are t. e together